Giardiasis: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

Giardiasis

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Overvie 0f giardiasis

Symptoms of giardiasis

Common causes of Giardiasis.

Diagnosis of Giardiasis.

Treatmen of giardiasis

Complication of giardiasis.

Preventio of giardiasis.

Overview of Giardiasis

Giardiasis refers to the infectious condition of the small intestine caused by the microorganism known as Giardia lamblia that belongs to the class of protozoa. Prevalence of giardiasis ranges from 2% to 7% in developed countries and 20-30% in the developing countries.¹The World Health Organization (WHO) suspects that around 200 million people are affected by this disorder every year.² These protozoa are consider dangerous as they are protected by an outer cell and can survive inside the body or in the environment for longer period.. Young children are three times more prone to be affected by giardiasis due to reduced immune resistance.³

Symptoms of Giardiasis

Symptoms of giardiasis

About 50% of the affected individuals may be asymptomatic.¹In others, the symptoms occur within 10 days of exposure to these microorganisms.

Causes of Giardiasis

Causes of giardiasis

Giardia lamblia, a flagellated intestinal protozoan exists throughout the globe and causes Giardiasis.

Diagnosis of Giardiasis

Diagnosis of giardiasis

The diagnosis of giardiasis is mainly based on the identification of the microorganism in the stool samples under the microscope.

Treatment of Giardiasis

Treatment of giardiasis

Giardiasis may resolve by itself in some while administration of medications to kill the microorganism may be necessary in others.

Complications of Giardiasis

Complications for giardiasis

Un intended weight loss is one of the complications for giardiasis.

Prevention of Giardiasis

Purification of water by filtration, boiling or iodine treatment should be followed before drinking surface water. Boiling water for a minimum of 10 min is also preventive measure for killing the protozoa. Individuals working in day care centers should follow strict hand hygiene protocols to prevent the spread of the infection. Safe sexual practices (especially while indulging in anal sex) must be followed to decrease the spread of the infection.⁶

Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 10, 2012

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References

References: Giardiasis. [cited: November 2009].Available at: http://www.giardiasis.org.
Safe drinking water organization.Giardia. [cited: November 2009].Available at: http://www.safewater.org/PDFS/resourcesknowthefacts/Giardia.pdf.
Pennard A.emedicine .Giardiasis. [updated: April 2009; cited November 2009].Available at :http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/782818-overview.
The Merck Manual Online Medical Library. Giardiasis. [updated: November 2005; cited: November 2009].Available at: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch185/ch185d.html.
Emedicinehealth. Giardiasis. [cited: November 2009].Available at: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/giardiasis/article_em.htm.
Medline Plus.Giardiasis. [updated: Feb 2009; cited: Nov 2009].Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000288.htm.